The Georgia Center For Nonprofitshttps://www.gcn.org
enWisdom from the GAgives Kickoff archive: A pre-event rounduphttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Wisdom-from-the-GAgives-Kickoff-archive-A-pre-event-roundup
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="intro" dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/gagives%20kickoff%202018%2003.jpeg" style="width: 1200px; height: 819px;" />Our <a href="https://www.gagives.org/giving-events/ga19/kickoff" target="_blank">2019 GAgives Kickoff &amp; Rally</a> is right around the corner, promising a wealth of insight on what goes into a successful GAgives on #GivingTuesday campaign.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you’re still undecided about <a href="https://www.gagives.org/giving-events/ga19/kickoff" target="_blank">joining us</a> for a morning of inspiration and advice – complete with a keynote speech from #GivingTuesday Digital Strategy and Community Engagement Director Kathleen Murphy Toms, and two panel discussions with top GAgives campaigners – we’ve put together this sampler of practical takeaways from past years’ events. (Further takeaways can be found <a href="https://www.gcn.org/articles/Tapping-the-power-of-GivingTuesday-Highlights-from-the-kickoff-keynote" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.gcn.org/blog/GAgives-on-GivingTuesday/Advice-from-the-GAgives-vets-Further-highlights-from-the-kickoff-event" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.gcn.org/articles/Campaign-kickoff-tips-from-GAgives-vets" target="_blank">here</a>.)</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
On setting a goal</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Jamie McDonald, Community Lead at #GivingTuesday:</strong> A goal is not just about what you want to accomplish on that day, a goal is like a theme for a party: If you’re throwing a Cinco de Mayo party, you’re not going to decorate with leprechauns and shamrocks. Setting a goal is one of the most effective ways to frame a campaign.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
On preparing supporters</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Megan Rock, Executive Director of Girl Talk:</strong> We come up with the “creative” in advance, and then we produce toolkits specific to those using them – our board, our partners, our chapters. The toolkit philosophy is to make campaigning as easy as possible: They have to be able to copy-and-paste the material, otherwise you don’t know what you’ll get.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Ankur Chaterjee, Board President of Enduring Hearts:</strong> We give scripts to our board members, but we tweak them every year so donors aren’t hearing the same thing. And when board members personalize them, they can activate their networks much more easily.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
On securing matching gifts</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Grace Murphy, Director of Development at Canine Assistants:</strong> We work with not just one foundation or donor, but with multiple donors to see if they can increase their gifts just a little bit to help us incentivize giving from others. With that strategy, we’re able to match typically up to $50,000.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Rock: </strong>We partner with a local family foundation that generally gives their gift at the end of the year, so now they time it with #GivingTuesday to match what people give. We also get a lot of in-kind donations from various partners, and we’ve been able to use some of those items to encourage outreach. For instance, if you refer two friends who donate, you get a prize.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Chaterjee:</strong> We solicit board members to reach out to their business contacts and our stalwart donors to ask for matching gifts. We start prepping in June, so we have enough to use as marketing tools to get other donors excited – I’ve actually used the exact words, “Don’t let us leave money on the table!”</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
On campaigning online</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>McDonald: </strong>If you're telling a strong story in an effective way to an audience who cares, you can tell them that story every day. The problem is not donor fatigue: The problem is crappy marketing. You need to be proud of the work that you do, and put that out there: “What we do is changing lives,” not, “Please give me money.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Andrew Moon, Digital Strategist at Edelman Public Relations: </strong>Plug into ongoing conversations by using hashtags that authentically align with your organization. Hashtags are important on Twitter and Instagram, which both skew younger. When using Instagram, make sure that you have your visuals together, and a plan for gathering more.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Teni-Ola Ogunjobi, Community Engagement Associate at Global Village Project:</strong> I started by thinking about what kind of story I wanted to tell, the demographics of our supporters, and what would get them engaged. I created a simple calendar in Word. For each date, I wrote down what I wanted to say through Facebook, Twitter, and email, thinking about which message works best with each platform. Every week, I made sure I had at least three posts on each channel, reminding people what was coming and that we want them to get involved.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Lynn Moyer, founder and CEO of Luminate Marketing:</strong> Authentic-feeling videos are the ones going further now, as opposed to scripted or composed videos. All you need is a phone and a few best practices: Make sure the phone is propped up and not shaky, and make sure the lighting is good.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
On keeping up the momentum</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Melissa Brogdon, Director of Development and Communications at Emmaus House:</strong> We try to make the board members feel appreciated: We put them in the newsletter and put in thank-you calls. I clear my schedule on #GivingTuesday so I can just monitor the internet, and when a board member gets their first donation I’ll shoot them a quick email: “Oh my god, you’re rocking it.” Thanking your workers also helps make sure you won’t have lost them as a resource next year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Looking for more insight? Be sure to sign up for the <a href="https://www.gcn.org/events/GAgives-Kickoff-Summit">2019 GAgives Rally &amp; Kickoff</a>, taking place Sept. 19 at the Woodruff Arts Center.</p>
<p class="about" dir="ltr">Marc Schultz is communications editor at GCN.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:02:11 +0000mschultz7226 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Wisdom-from-the-GAgives-Kickoff-archive-A-pre-event-roundup#commentsFunding and Resource Opportunities | September 2019https://www.gcn.org/articles/Funding-and-Resource-Opportunities-September-2019
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="intro" dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/hundreds%20color.jpeg" style="width: 1200px; height: 750px;" />This month’s roundup features new opportunities for nonprofits working to help victims of domestic abuse and their pets, improve the justice system, safeguard basic freedoms, investigate the value of the arts, cultivate community food gardens, improve the lives of people with paralysis, expand public opportunities for STEM learning, and much more.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These opportunities have been sourced from <a href="http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/" target="_blank">Candid’s Philanthropy News Digest</a>, <a href="https://grantstation.com/" target="_blank">GrantStation</a>, and <a href="https://grantgopher.com/" target="_blank">Grant Gopher</a>, as well as grantmakers’ online notices.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Fund for Shared Insight</strong><br />
Listen4Good<br />
Deadline: September 20<br />
Nonprofits may be nominated by one of their funders for a joint effort to build systematic ways to listen to, and respond to, the people those nonprofits serve. Grantees will receive $30,000, half covered by the Fund and half covered by the nominating funder. <a href="https://www.fundforsharedinsight.org/listen4good/nonprofit-application/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures</strong><br />
Fund for the Arts<br />
Deadline: September 25<br />
Grants will go to fund U.S.-based Latino working ensembles and arts organizations to assist in the development, creation, presentation, and sustainability of artistic excellence in pursuit of social justice through the arts. <a href="https://nalac.org/grants/nalac-fund-for-the-arts/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p><strong>Petco Foundation</strong><br />
Animal Welfare Organizations Grant Program<br />
Deadline: September 26<br />
Nonprofit animal shelters and foster-based rescue organizations endeavoring to achieve a high standard and save as many lives as possible are invited to apply for funding. <a href="https://www.petcofoundation.org/for-partners/investment-opportunities/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>American Bar Endowment</strong><br />
Opportunity Grants<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
Grants of up to $50,000 will go to projects that enhance access to justice through innovative legal services delivery; improve the justice system; or grow the public’s understanding of the law and the legal system, including increased civic engagement. <a href="http://www.abendowment.org/about/opportunity.asp" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
In three program areas – early childhood welfare, early childhood education and play, and parenting education – the program will fund new and innovative initiatives with the potential for nationwide impact. <a href="https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Kresge Foundation</strong><br />
Human Services Program<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
To increase social and economic mobility for children and families with low incomes, this program seeks proposals that advance place-based opportunity ecosystems; develop supportive, aligned public policy; or build a more robust human services field. <a href="https://kresge.org/programs/human-services" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development</strong><br />
Continuum of Care Program Competition<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
Organizations that belong to the national Continuum of Care program are eligible to apply for funds supporting efforts to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing trauma and dislocation. <a href="https://www.dca.ga.gov/safe-affordable-housing/homeless-special-needs-housing/georgia-balance-state-continuum-care" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Academy of Country Music</strong><br />
ACM Lifting Lives<br />
Deadline: October 1<br />
Funding nonprofits that promote healing through music, grants will support music-as-therapy programs for people with special needs, military members, people in hospitals and hospices, and those affected by natural disasters. <a href="https://www.acmliftinglives.org/guidelines" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Conrad N. Hilton Foundation</strong><br />
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize<br />
Deadline: October 1<br />
One $2 million prize will go to a nonprofit judged to have made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering. Organizations must be nominated by someone outside of the organization who has direct knowledge of the nonprofit’s work. <a href="https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/humanitarian-prize/nominations" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Papoose Conservation Wildlife Foundation</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: October 1<br />
Grants of up to $5,000 go to nonprofits working one of two areas: “Children in Nature,” providing opportunities for children to explore nature; or “Applied Conservation,” focusing on conservation of wildlife or plant species in their natural habitat. <a href="https://papoosewildlife.org/grant-applications/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Herb Block Foundation</strong><br />
Defending Basic Freedoms<br />
Deadline: October 3 (letter of intent), December 12 (full proposal)<br />
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded for projects aimed at safeguarding basic freedoms guarenteed in the Bill of Rights, eliminating prejudice and discrimination, and helping government agencies be more accountable. <a href="https://www.herbblockfoundation.org/grant-programs/defending-basic-freedoms" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>National Endowment for the Arts</strong><br />
Research: Art Works<br />
Deadline: October 3<br />
Support is available for research projects in two areas: examining the value and impact of the arts by use of data, and testing the causal impact of the arts on individual or cohort outcomes via experimental or quasi-experimental design methods. <a href="https://www.arts.gov/grants-organizations/research-grants-in-the-arts" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Community Foundation of South Georgia</strong><br />
South Georgia Legacy Fund<br />
Deadline: October 11<br />
Grants of up to $5,000 will go to organizations working to improve the quality of life and address the pressing needs of communities in South Georgia. <a href="https://www.cfsga.net/forms/Form-South%20Ga%20Legacy%20Fund%20Application%20-%202019.pdf" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Bee Cause</strong><br />
Honey Bee Grants<br />
Deadline: October 15<br />
Nonprofits and schools are invited to apply for grants supporting an educational honey bee hive, with options for already-existing projects and those yet to be undertaken. <a href="http://www.thebeecause.org/index.php/grant-program" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>RedRover</strong><br />
Domestic Violence Safe Housing Grants<br />
Deadline: October 15<br />
Grants of up to $20,000 will go to domestic violence shelters looking to create pet-friendly programs to help survivors and their pets escape abuse together. Awards are offered in three categories: On-site, Off-site, and Startup. <a href="https://redrover.org/dv-safe-housing-grants/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Whole Kids Foundation</strong><br />
Garden Grant Program<br />
Deadline: October 15<br />
Grants of up to $2,000 will go to schools and nonprofits to support edible gardens at K-12 schools, including projects at any stage of development that help children engage with fresh fruits and vegetables. <a href="https://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/programs/school-gardens-grant" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Ben &amp; Jerry’s Foundation</strong><br />
Grassroots Organizing for Social Change<br />
Deadline: October 16<br />
Nonprofit community-based groups working to advance social and environmental justice and support sustainable and just food systems are eligible for grants of up to $25,000, especially those employing priority strategies identified by the Foundation. <a href="https://benandjerrysfoundation.org/the-grassroots-organizing-for-social-change-program/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Christopher &amp; Dana Reeve Foundation: Direct Effect Quality of Life Grants</strong><br />
Direct Effect Quality of Life Grants<br />
Deadline: October 22<br />
Grants of up to $25,000 will go to support specific budget items for projects that impact individuals living with paralysis and their families; examples of funded items include sports wheelchairs for teams, accessible lockers, and transportation costs. <a href="https://www.christopherreeve.org/get-support/grants-for-non-profits/application-process" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Borealis Philanthropy</strong><br />
Immigration Litigation Fund<br />
Deadline: November 1<br />
To support litigation efforts that challenge discriminatory, unlawful, and overly punitive immigration practices, project grants of up to $75,000 will go toward litigation costs, organizing efforts, legal training and training materials, and convenings. <a href="https://borealisphilanthropy.org/grantmaking/immigration-legal-strategy-support-fund/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</strong><br />
Catholic Campaign for Human Development<br />
Deadline: November 1 (pre-application), December 15 (full application)<br />
Grants of up to $75,000 will go to organizations led by low-income individuals working to break the cycle of poverty and improve their communities, either by addressing the root causes of poverty or establishing economic development initiatives. <a href="http://www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/grants/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>National Science Foundation</strong><br />
Advancing Informal STEM Learning<br />
Deadline: November 6<br />
Funds go to support new approaches toward and understanding of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal settings, broadening access to STEM learning experiences, and engaging the public of all ages in STEM learning. <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf17573" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>SeedMoney</strong><br />
Grants for Garden Projects<br />
Deadline: November 12<br />
Grants of up to $700 will go to support public food garden projects, including (but not limited to) community gardens, school gardens, food bank gardens, homeless shelter gardens, and senior center gardens. <a href="https://seedmoney.org/apply/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Sphinx Organization</strong><br />
Venture Fund<br />
Deadline: November 15<br />
Grants of up to $100,000 will go to catalyze initiatives designed to address diversity, equality, and inclusion in the performing arts, with an emphasis on classical music. <a href="https://www.sphinxmusic.org/sphinx-venture-fund/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Cornell Douglas Foundation</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
Grants of up to $50,000 are provided for nonprofits addressing one or more of the following: environmental health and justice, land conservation, sustainability of resources, mountaintop removal mining, watershed protections, and K-12 financial literacy. <a href="http://www.cornelldouglas.org/apply" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
To empower the economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged, grants will go to support projects that are presented, owned, and controlled by the groups of people who will directly benefit. <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/sdop/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Wallace Global Fund</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
Grants will go to initiatives that serve one of these priorities: Challenge Corporate Power, Defend and Renew Democracy, Protect the Environment, Promote Truth and Creative Freedom in Media, or Advance Women’s Human Rights and Empowerment. <a href="http://wgf.org/grants/" target="_blank">View details.</a></p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 10 Sep 2019 17:47:10 +0000mschultz7221 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Funding-and-Resource-Opportunities-September-2019#commentsGet audit-ready in 3 stepshttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Get-audit-ready-in-3-steps
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="intro" dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/helloquence-5fNmWej4tAA-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 1200px; height: 801px;" />For many nonprofits, going through an annual audit is like undergoing a root canal – it’s a painful, stressful, and expensive experience. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way (the audit, that is).</p>
<p dir="ltr">Through advance planning, organization, and knowledge of audit requirements, nonprofits can embark on their annual audit with ease and confidence. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Here are three steps to ensure your next audit runs smoothly and painlessly.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<strong>1. Make it a year-round effort.</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">If you’re scrambling to prepare for an upcoming audit, you’re already late to the game. It’s critical to prepare for the audit by collecting and organizing documentation for the auditor throughout the year. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Auditors want to make sure everything has gone through the correct channels: invoices, receipts, bank account reconciliations, investment account reconciliations, and anything else relating to money going out or coming in. Keep them in order, and you’ll be able to respond to your auditor’s request quickly and with a minimum of effort.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On the accounts payable side, that means keeping all invoices arranged by vendor. On the revenue side, that means keeping backup documentation for every dollar received: copies of checks, deposit slips, invoices you sent out, contracts, etc. Be sure to code everything you receive properly, and maintain a regular schedule to analyze, review, and reconcile your balance sheets.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It’s also important to communicate with the auditor year-round: You’ll need to understand any new guidance and accounting requirements, and discuss any operational or policy changes within your organization. Call on your auditor anytime you encounter an accounting situation that isn’t completely black-and-white, and you’ll keep it from becoming a problem at audit time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Updating your records on a monthly basis might take an extra hour or two, whereas catching up on a year’s worth of accounting means at least two days of work. You’ll also save time (and error) working when the subject is fresh on your mind, rather than months in the past.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<strong>2. Organize with the auditor in mind.</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">First, understand exactly what the auditor will need. Review their Prepared by Client (PBC) List, learn from your past experiences, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Next, it’s critical to provide all of the required documentation in a concise, organized way that will be easy for an auditor to access and decipher. Don’t leave things out thinking they won’t notice or care – that will only slow down the process and increase the time required to complete your audit (meaning higher costs). </p>
<p dir="ltr">You can also help minimize the time required by updating to the latest accounting software and automating reports and schedules. Online tools are great for processing and storing data that your auditors will need; Bill.com, for example, requires you to go through a proper approval process for each item, and keeps track of all steps. The best part: At audit time, the only thing you need to provide your auditor is a login. (Many online systems will also link up to your offline software.)</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<strong>3. Don’t go it alone.</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Audits that are long, messy, and complicated are also expensive, so it often makes fiscal sense to invest in outside assistance in order to streamline the process. Outsourced accounting firms like <a href="https://www.chazinandcompany.com/services/accounting-bookkeeping/" target="_blank">Chazin &amp; Company</a> offer a full range of services, up to and including CFO services, consulting services, accounting services, and audit preparation. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In order to minimize the “fire drills” at the end of every year, consider having an outsourced firm review your financials monthly or quarterly to identify any potential audit issues throughout the year. They can also assist you by creating and maintaining schedules, and compiling relevant documentation throughout the year so you aren’t trying to pull everything together at the eleventh hour. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In other words, allow the outside experts to prepare you for your audit so you can remain focused on more mission-critical activities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">To find out more about the audit process, and how your nonprofit can best prepare for it, <strong>join Chazin &amp; Company at the GCN offices on Oct. 30</strong> for a morning audit preparation seminar, followed by a lunch-and-learn with our experts, ready to address any of your nonprofit accounting questions. Details coming soon – watch your inbox.</p>
<p class="about" dir="ltr">Adele Chazin is Principal at Chazin &amp; Company, a GCN business partner.</p>
<p class="about"><a href="https://www.chazinandcompany.com/" target="_blank">Chazin &amp; Company</a> is an outsourced accounting firm for nonprofits, offering a unique and respected approach to the audit process. By providing auditors with a comprehensive, electronic package prior to the audit, auditors work efficiently and independently, resulting in fewer client disruptions and lower audit costs.</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:56:28 +0000mschultz7216 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Get-audit-ready-in-3-steps#commentsLunch & Learn | Understanding Your Organization’s Financial Statementshttps://www.gcn.org/events/Lunch-Learn-Understanding-Your-Organization%E2%80%99s-Financial-Statements
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Date </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-date field-type-text field-label-above">
September 27, 2019 </p>
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<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/rawpixel-com-579263-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 505px; height: 334px;" /></h2>
<p class="normal"> </p>
<p class="normal">In this free, informal "lunch &amp; learn," nonprofit finance experts from Wilson Lewis will walk you through the elements, idiosyncrasies, and evolving standards of financial record-keeping for nonprofits. Covering big-picture concerns as well as the nuts-and-bolts of tracking funds, this presentation will provide a foundation for leadership to become better-informed about the nonprofit, from its fiscal well-being to its overall strategy.</p>
<p class="normal" dir="ltr">Join us for an informative midday event, and bring your questions – we’ll bring lunch.</p>
<h2>
</h2>
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Key topics to be covered:</h2>
<ul><li>
Methodology: Accrual Accounting vs. Cash-Basis Accounting</li>
<li>
Nonprofit organization financial statements</li>
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The impact of new accounting standard updates 2014-06, 2016-16, and 2018-08 on nonprofits</li>
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Restricted vs. unrestricted funds, internal vs. external restrictions: Where they show up and how to track them</li>
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The importance of a functional expense schedule, including benchmarks</li>
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Financial relationships, trends, and ratios important to nonprofit entities</li>
</ul></div></div></div> <h3 class="field-label">
Time </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-time field-type-text field-label-above">
11:00 am - 1:30 pm </p>
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Address </h3>
<p><em>Georgia Center for Nonprofits</em><br />
100 Peachtree Street NW Suite 1500<br />
Atlanta, GA 30303<br /><a href="https://www.gcn.org/Directions">Get directions</a></p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Registration Details </h3>
<div class="field field-name-field-events-fees field-type-text-long field-label-above">
<p></p>
<p><strong>FREE EVENT</strong></p>
<p> <em>Lunch Provided</em></p>
<p class="more-link"><a href="https://mygcn.force.com/gcn/s/eventdetailspage?Id=a0Zf4000006gIkA">LOGIN TO Register</a></p>
<p class="more-link"><a href="https://www.tfaforms.com/4732410">CREATE ACCOUNT TO REGISTER</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>If you are interested in this event but cannot attend the selected date, or the event has reached capacity, please contact <a href="mailto:nu@gcn.org">nu@gcn.org</a> to be placed on a wait list for future workshops (schedule tbd)</em></span></p>
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<div class="field field-name-field-events-side-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden">
<p>
<b>Hosted by:</b></p>
<p><b><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/Logo%20-%20Wilson%20Lewis.png" style="width: 200px; height: 74px; float: left;" /></b></p>
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Wed, 21 Aug 2019 21:27:28 +0000Kacey Floyd7211 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/events/Lunch-Learn-Understanding-Your-Organization%E2%80%99s-Financial-Statements#commentsFunding and Resource Opportunities | August 2019https://www.gcn.org/articles/Funding-and-Resource-Opportunities-August-2019
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="intro" dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/hundreds%20color.jpeg" style="width: 1200px; height: 750px;" /></p>
<p class="intro" dir="ltr">This month’s roundup features new opportunities for nonprofits working with volunteers, litigating on behalf of immigration reform, prepping communities for extreme weather events, transforming pretrial justice, feeding the hungry, conserving wildlife in their native habits, and much more – including the annual $2 million humanitarian prize from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These opportunities have been sourced from <a href="http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/" target="_blank">Candid’s Philanthropy News Digest</a>, <a href="https://grantstation.com/" target="_blank">GrantStation</a>, and <a href="https://grantgopher.com/" target="_blank">Grant Gopher</a>, as well as grantmakers’ online notices.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Corporation for National and Community Service</strong><br />
RSVP Competition<br />
Deadline: August 30 (notice of intent), Sept. 25 (application)<br />
Funding will go to support projects that engage volunteers in one of the following focus areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, or veterans and military families. <strong><a href="https://www.nationalservice.gov/rsvpcompetition" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 1<br />
Grants will go to cultural institutions to support innovative and scholarly presentations of contemporary visual arts, especially those highlighting women, artists of color, and under-represented practitioners. <strong><a href="https://warholfoundation.org/grant/overview.html" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Borealis Philanthropy</strong><br />
Immigration Litigation Fund<br />
Deadline: September 1 and November 1<br />
To support litigation efforts that challenge discriminatory, unlawful, and overly punitive immigration practices, project grants of up to $75,000 will go toward litigation costs, organizing efforts, legal training and training materials, and convenings. <strong><a href="https://borealisphilanthropy.org/grantmaking/immigration-legal-strategy-support-fund/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Robert Lehman Foundation</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 1<br />
Exclusively for visual arts organizations – leaders in the field and newcomers – these grants support programs including museum exhibitions, art education, scholarly publications, and art history lectureships. <strong><a href="https://www.robertlehmanfoundation.org/guidelines.php" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Commission for Environmental Cooperation</strong><br />
North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action<br />
Deadline: September 6<br />
Grants will go to initiatives that focus on enhancing the capacity of communities to prepare for, respond, and adapt to extreme events such as drought, floods, wildfires, and extreme temperatures, and advance community-level actions. <strong><a href="http://www.cec.org/our-work/napeca" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Hydro Flask</strong><br />
Parks For All<br />
Deadline: September 6<br />
National and regional nonprofits dedicated to building, restoring, maintaining, or providing public access to parks and recreational public lands, beaches, or coastal areas are eligible to apply for funding between $10,000 - $50,000, based in part on geographic scope. <strong><a href="https://www.cybergrants.com/pls/cybergrants/quiz.display_question?x_gm_id=4494&amp;x_quiz_id=8110&amp;x_order_by=1" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Borealis Philanthropy</strong><br />
Spark Justice Fund<br />
Deadline: September 9 (letters of intent)<br />
Grants of up to $200,000, plus additional support, will go to nonprofits working to end the use of money bail in the criminal justice system, transform pretrial justice, and build power in communities. <strong><a href="https://borealisphilanthropy.org/grantmaking/spark-justice-fund/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>John Ball Zoo</strong><br />
Wildlife Conservation Fund<br />
Deadline: September 9<br />
Grants will support one or more of the following: Enhancing or assisting wild animal preservation, threatened or endangered; improving captive animal management; or developing education programming in concert with either of those efforts. <strong><a href="https://www.jbzoo.org/conservation/wcf" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Tomberg Family Philanthropies</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 9 (letters of intent)<br />
Nonprofits with projects addressing the environment, poverty alleviation, health, and education are eligible to apply for funding; grants generally range from $5,000 to $15,000. <strong><a href="http://www.tombergphilanthropies.org/how-to-apply/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Foundation for Rural Service</strong><br />
Community Grant<br />
Deadline: September 13<br />
Grants of up to $5,000 will go to support organizations in communities served by the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, supporting work in the area of business and economic development, community development, education, or telecommunications. <strong><a href="https://www.frs.org/programs/grant-program/community-grant" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Amazon Web Services</strong><br />
Imagine Grant Program<br />
Deadline: September 15<br />
To empower nonprofits using technology to solve pressing challenges, grants will go to pilot projects, proofs of concept, strategic technology planning, or programs that utilize technology in a new or expanded way. <strong><a href="https://aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation</strong><br />
Feeding the Hungry<br />
Deadline: September 15<br />
Grants will go to nonprofits working to feed the hungry and/or provide nutrition education in communities served by (i.e., within a 20 mile radius of) a Food Lion store. <strong><a href="https://www.foodlion.com/in-our-community/food-lion-feeds/charitable-foundation-grants/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Learning Disabilities Foundation of America</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 15<br />
Funds are granted for projects that meet unmet needs in the field of learning disabilities: for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes; or for services for children and adults with learning disabilities, including identification and ongoing evaluation. <strong><a href="https://www.ldfamerica.org/grant-guidelines.html" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Jewish Helping Hands</strong><br />
Tikkun Olam Grant Program<br />
Deadline: September 16 (inquiry forms), December 16 (application)<br />
Grants of up to $5,000 are provided to nonprofit organizations that show clear promise to promote self-help and empowerment within communities, or respond to unmet needs, of those who are poor or marginalized. <strong><a href="http://jewishhelpinghands.org/2019-06-grant-process-2020/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Unitarian Universalist Association</strong><br />
Fund for a Just Society<br />
Deadline: September 16<br />
Up to $15,000 will be awarded to non-Unitarian Universalist groups actively working to create systemic change in economic, social, and political structures in support of those who have been excluded from resources, power, and the right to self-determination. <strong><a href="https://www.uufunding.org/fund-for-a-just-society.html" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Fund for Shared Insight</strong><br />
Listen4Good<br />
Deadline: September 20<br />
Nonprofits may be nominated by one of their funders for a joint effort to build systematic ways to listen to, and respond to, the people those nonprofits serve. Grantees will receive $30,000, half covered by the Fund and half covered by the nominating funder. <strong><a href="https://www.fundforsharedinsight.org/listen4good/nonprofit-application/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
In three program areas – early childhood welfare, early childhood education and play, and parenting education – the program will fund new and innovative initiatives with the potential for nationwide impact. <strong><a href="https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Kresge Foundation</strong><br />
Human Services Program<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
To increase social and economic mobility for children and families with low incomes, this program seeks proposals that advance place-based opportunity ecosystems; develop supportive, aligned public policy; or build a more robust human services field. <strong><a href="https://kresge.org/programs/human-services" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development</strong><br />
Continuum of Care Program Competition<br />
Deadline: September 30<br />
Organizations that belong to the national Continuum of Care program are eligible to apply for funds supporting efforts to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing trauma and dislocation. <strong><a href="https://www.dca.ga.gov/safe-affordable-housing/homeless-special-needs-housing/georgia-balance-state-continuum-care" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Conrad N. Hilton Foundation</strong><br />
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize<br />
Deadline: October 1<br />
One $2 million prize will go to a nonprofit judged to have made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering. Organizations must be nominated by someone outside of the organization who has direct knowledge of the nonprofit’s work. <strong><a href="https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/humanitarian-prize/nominations" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Papoose Conservation Wildlife Foundation</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: October 1<br />
Grants of up to $5,000 go to nonprofits working one of two areas: “Children in Nature,” providing opportunities for children to explore nature; or “Applied Conservation,” focusing on conservation of wildlife or plant species in their natural habitat. <strong><a href="https://papoosewildlife.org/grant-applications/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Ben &amp; Jerry’s Foundation</strong><br />
Grassroots Organizing for Social Change<br />
Deadline: October 16<br />
Nonprofit community-based groups working to advance social and environmental justice and support sustainable and just food systems are eligible for grants of up to $25,000, especially those employing priority strategies identified by the Foundation. <strong><a href="https://benandjerrysfoundation.org/the-grassroots-organizing-for-social-change-program/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Cornell Douglas Foundation</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
Grants of up to $50,000 are provided for nonprofits addressing one or more of the following: environmental health and justice, land conservation, sustainability of resources, mountaintop removal mining, watershed protections, and K-12 financial literacy. <strong><a href="http://www.cornelldouglas.org/apply" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
To empower the economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged, grants will go to support projects that are presented, owned, and controlled by the groups of people who will directly benefit. <strong><a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/sdop/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Wallace Global Fund</strong><br />
Grant program<br />
Deadline: Open<br />
Grants will go to initiatives that serve one of these priorities: Challenge Corporate Power, Defend and Renew Democracy, Protect the Environment, Promote Truth and Creative Freedom in Media, or Advance Women’s Human Rights and Empowerment. <strong><a href="http://wgf.org/grants/" target="_blank">View details.</a></strong></p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 20 Aug 2019 16:14:35 +0000mschultz7206 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Funding-and-Resource-Opportunities-August-2019#commentsWant to engage staff? Go to the sourcehttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Want-to-engage-staff-Go-to-the-source
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="intro" dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/ust%20retention%20ebook%20cover.png" style="width: 1200px; height: 672px;" /></p>
<p class="intro" dir="ltr">Retaining your people requires competitive compensation packages, dedicated attention from managers, and – perhaps most importantly – deliberate efforts to keep staff engaged. </p>
<p dir="ltr">If you’re serious about retention, it's critical to solicit employee involvement directly, and give them a voice in the organization's retention initiatives. Not all nonprofits make that effort. Nearly three quarters of nonprofit executives make a conscious effort to engage employees, but only 37 percent report that they've recently updated their employee engagement plan. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This reveals the underlying issue: Many nonprofits fail to formalize their engagement plan schedule as much as they formalize other routines in the organization. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Set a formal schedule to ask, listen, and respond to your staff members, and you're more likely to raise employee engagement, <a href="https://www2.chooseust.org/2019/ebook" target="_blank">overcoming a major barrier to retention</a>.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<strong>A culture of action</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Dialoguing with your staff is important, but it can also be risky. If employees share their ideas but nothing is implemented – there's no active response – they will disengage altogether, and quickly. You can prevent that disaster by moving forward efficiently with a culture that supports communication and action. Organize their input into four distinct areas for a coordinated response:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>1. Leadership</strong></p>
<ul dir="ltr"><li>
Schedule regular informational sessions with various team leaders to explain the organization's status and opportunities for the future.</li>
<li>
Create opportunities for employees to share their understanding of the organization's values.</li>
</ul><p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Enablement </strong></p>
<ul dir="ltr"><li>
Create a transparent resources report so staff members can see and discuss openly where funds are allocated.</li>
<li>
Bring clients in to share their success stories, and allow coworkers to share successes that were dependent on the help of teammates.</li>
</ul><p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Alignment</strong></p>
<ul dir="ltr"><li>
Ask employees to write their own job descriptions when hired, and then annually. Look for changes in the descriptions, let manager and staff member work it out, then update HR if changes have occurred or if original descriptions were incorrect.</li>
<li>
Use an Intranet to encourage staff/leadership communication. Leaders can pose and answer questions online.</li>
<li>
Schedule a quarterly awards event that recognizes staff for their achievements. Avoid rewarding the same people repeatedly at the expense of quieter employees.</li>
</ul><p dir="ltr"><strong>4. Development</strong></p>
<ul dir="ltr"><li>
Offer personal or professional coaching. Set up a budget and allocate a set number of sessions, but allow each employee to maintain control regarding the content.</li>
<li>
Create a peer-tutoring program where workers can share extracurricular or work-related skills with their fellow employees while improving public speaking skills and honing leadership abilities. Note responses to various topics.</li>
</ul><p class="normal" dir="ltr">You shouldn't throw everything at all four engagement areas at once. Don't risk chaotic and failing programs, especially when funding is tight and time to devote to these initiatives may be short. Organizations that report the most impactful results carefully select one or two projects at a time.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<strong>Go beyond</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">While your for-profit competition is trying to align their company with a purpose, your nonprofit has made a mission of it. Now, build on that with ideas that go beyond the usual:</p>
<ul dir="ltr"><li>
<strong>Healthy snacks.</strong> Fewer than half of employers make healthy snacks or a healthy cafeteria available, yet three quarters of employees want access to healthy foods onsite. Rethink the choices in your vending machine, and take a vote for options to increase staff input.</li>
<li>
<strong>Vigorous health and wellness programs.</strong> Robust health and wellness programs make a significant draw for employees. Help build health, relaxation, and fun by offering on-site yoga or dance classes.</li>
<li>
<strong>Have fun.</strong> Set aside Friday afternoons for a staff activity that's just for fun and team-building. Host a scavenger hunt for animals in the local zoo, take a group bike ride, enjoy a frozen yogurt social, or take a group painting class. Find something fun for everyone.</li>
<li>
<strong>Make it visual. </strong>Create and share a flowchart that demonstrates how certain tasks performed by an employee ultimately help to fulfill the organization's mission.</li>
<li>
<strong>Let them explore.</strong> Create paths that help team members move laterally within the organization. A transferred worker can explore a new passion while you keep that person in the building.</li>
<li>
<strong>Make leaders approachable.</strong> Have the organization's leader host weekly office hours, two hours a week, where employees can explore ideas and concerns that keep them engaged.</li>
<li>
<strong>Pay attention online.</strong> Watch for patterns in Glassdoor reviews to spotlight areas that need improvement.</li>
<li>
<strong>Reward coursework.</strong> Offer points or tangible rewards for those who take work-related courses. Online classes and tutorials abound. Encourage your workforce to learn.</li>
</ul><p dir="ltr">Think creatively, proactively, and prudently, and you'll discover a multitude of affordable ways for your team to become involved in developing their own reasons for engagement.</p>
<p class="about" dir="ltr"><strong><a href="http://www.chooseust.org/" target="_blank">Unemployment Services Trust (UST)</a></strong> provides workforce solutions for nonprofits, reducing their unemployment costs and helping remove back-office burden so they have more time and money for their missions.</p>
<p class="about">This article originally appeared in a slightly different form in the ebook <em><a href="https://www2.chooseust.org/2019/ebook" target="_blank">Innovative Strategies that Overcome Nonprofit Retention Barriers</a></em>, produced by <strong>Unemployment Services Trust (UST)</strong>.</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 19 Aug 2019 20:04:13 +0000mschultz7201 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/Want-to-engage-staff-Go-to-the-source#commentsMember Event Series | Breakfast Bites | Data-Driven Messaging https://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Data-Driven-Messaging
<h3 class="field-label">
Date </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-date field-type-text field-label-above">
November 8, 2019 </p>
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img alt="" src="https://gcn.org/sites/default/files/breakfast-meeting.jpg" style="width: 505px; height: 337px;" />Members, please join us on the second Friday of each month for our new series of “small bite” conversations, each covering a different aspect of fundraising.</p>
<h2>
Data-Driven Messaging</h2>
<p>We live in a world where data is more important (and accessible) than ever. Are you leveraging your data to understand your organization’s impact, demonstrate that impact to your donors, and focus your staff on results? With social media as the primary source of information for many stakeholders, nonprofits need to move from messaging their outputs to messaging their impact – bite-sized and tailored to platforms. Collecting and analyzing data is only the beginning, and without data-driven messaging, you are missing a significant opportunity to inform and steward your donors and constituents.</p>
<p>This session will share messaging strategies and opportunities to synthesize data with your stories and pictures to engage your donors with the power of your nonprofit. Learn how data, marketing, and donor engagement come together in our digital world.</p>
</div></div></div> <h3 class="field-label">
Time </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-time field-type-text field-label-above">
8:30 am - 10:00 am </p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Address </h3>
<p>Georgia Center for Nonprofits<br />
100 Peachtree Street NW<br />
Suite 1500<br />
Atlanta, GA 30303<br /><a href="https://www.gcn.org/Directions">Get directions</a></p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Registration Details </h3>
<div class="field field-name-field-events-fees field-type-text-long field-label-above">
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">This program is free and exclusive to GCN member nonprofits.</strong></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Questions?</strong> Contact us at <a href="mailto:membership@gcn.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(67, 149, 57); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">membership</a><a href="mailto:nu@gcn.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(67, 149, 57); outline: -webkit-focus-ring-color auto 5px; outline-offset: -2px; font-weight: bold;">@gcn.org</a> or 678-916-3080.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Please complete a separate registration for each attendee. </strong></span></p>
<hr /><p>We have reached capacity for this event. Please email us at <a href="mailto:membership@gcn.org">membership@gcn.org</a> to be placed on the waitlist. You will be contacted if a space becomes available. </p>
</div>
Mon, 19 Aug 2019 17:28:49 +0000Kacey Floyd7196 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Data-Driven-Messaging#commentsMember Event Series | Breakfast Bites | Dashboardshttps://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Dashboards
<h3 class="field-label">
Date </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-date field-type-text field-label-above">
October 11, 2019 </p>
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img alt="" src="https://gcn.org/sites/default/files/breakfast-meeting.jpg" style="width: 505px; height: 337px;" />Members, please join us on the second Friday of each month for our new series of “small bite” conversations, each covering a different aspect of fundraising.</p>
<h2>
DASHBOARDS</h2>
<p>An illustrative aid will help you effectively define success for your board and leadership, monitor program outcomes, and make data-informed decisions. Dashboards are used by development, program, and finance staff to show progress on goals, track outcomes, manage results, and demonstrate organizational health.</p>
<p>This session will provide an overview of dashboard components, demonstrate how to get the most out of the tool, and provide examples of different types of dashboards. We will share how GCN uses dashboards and how you can use them to drive change and culture within your organization.</p>
</div></div></div> <h3 class="field-label">
Time </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-time field-type-text field-label-above">
8:30 am - 10:00 am </p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Address </h3>
<p>Georgia Center for Nonprofits<br />
100 Peachtree Street NW<br />
Suite 1500<br />
Atlanta, GA 30303<br /><a href="https://www.gcn.org/Directions">Get directions</a></p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Registration Details </h3>
<div class="field field-name-field-events-fees field-type-text-long field-label-above">
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">This program is free and exclusive to GCN member nonprofits.</strong></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Questions?</strong> Contact us at <a href="mailto:membership@gcn.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(67, 149, 57); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">membership</a><a href="mailto:nu@gcn.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(67, 149, 57); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">@gcn.org</a> or 678-916-3080.</p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Please complete a separate registration for each attendee. </strong></span></p>
<hr style="box-sizing: content-box; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(35, 31, 32); border-image: initial; height: 0px; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; width: 236px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.8rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">October 11, 2019</strong></p>
<p class="more-link"><a href="https://mygcn.force.com/gcn/s/eventdetailspage?Id=a0Zf4000006fzlD">Login to Register Now</a></p>
<p class="more-link"><a href="https://www.tfaforms.com/4732410">CREATE AN ACCOUNT TO REGISTER</a></p>
</div>
Mon, 19 Aug 2019 17:19:06 +0000Kacey Floyd7191 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Dashboards#commentsMember Event Series | Breakfast Bites | Results-Based Accountabilityhttps://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Results-Based-Accountability
<h3 class="field-label">
Date </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-date field-type-text field-label-above">
September 13, 2019 </p>
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img alt="" src="https://gcn.org/sites/default/files/breakfast-meeting.jpg" style="width: 505px; height: 337px;" />Members, please join us on the second Friday of each month for our new series of “small bite” conversations, each covering a different aspect of fundraising.</p>
<h2>
RESULTS-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY</h2>
<p>Results-Based Accountability (RBA) is rapidly replacing the logic model as a process for writing strong outcomes, developing strategic plans, and designing evaluation systems and processes. RBA has been utilized mainly within public agencies for a couple of decades, and is now gaining popularity among nonprofit funders and organizations as a way to develop more insightful and measurable outcomes at both program and community levels.</p>
<p>This session will cover what RBA is, how to use the process for writing your outcomes and outputs, and how it applies to writing SMART goals in strategic planning. We will share templates and materials to help you write more informative and impact-focused outcomes and strategic-plan goals, to inform and enhance your programs, storytelling, and impact.</p>
</div></div></div> <h3 class="field-label">
Time </h3>
<p class="field field-name-field-display-time field-type-text field-label-above">
8:30 am - 10:00 am </p>
<h3 class="field-label">
Address </h3>
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Mon, 19 Aug 2019 17:13:25 +0000Kacey Floyd7186 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/events/Member-Event-Series-Breakfast-Bites-Results-Based-Accountability#commentsA local look at Giving USAhttps://www.gcn.org/articles/A-local-look-at-Giving-USA
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p dir="ltr"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/giving%20usa%20cover%20horizontal.jpg" style="width: 900px; height: 588px;" /></p>
<p class="intro" dir="ltr">The <em><a href="https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2019-americans-gave-427-71-billion-to-charity-in-2018-amid-complex-year-for-charitable-giving/" target="_blank">2019 Giving USA Report</a></em> was recently released by The Giving Institute, confirming that total donations to U.S. nonprofits in 2018 were down slightly over 2017, an unfortunate (but not entirely unexpected) reversal in a four-year growth trend. Adjusting for inflation, <em>Giving USA</em> states, total giving nationwide was down $7.4 billion from an all-time high of $435.11 billion.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Though it isn’t what the sector would like to see, the decline in giving also defies the most dire predictions regarding the first year of new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions. <a href="https://grahampelton.com/giving-usa-2019/" target="_blank">The analysis</a> from fundraising consulting firm Graham-Pelton notes that “policy in sum does not influence donor generosity,” and that polling indicated “four out of five donors [had] planned to maintain or increase their giving in 2018 despite tax code changes.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Volatility in the economy, however, seems to have played a role in the downturn: Research indicates a significant correlation between total giving and stock market performance. With the Dow and S&amp;P experiencing a tumultuous fourth quarter, including their worst December since 1931, Graham-Peton calls 2018 “an example of that research come to life.” </p>
<p dir="ltr">A few other significant findings from <em>Giving USA</em>:</p>
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Individual giving dropped below 70 percent for the first time since 1953 (though that continues a downward trend that began in the 1970s), with fewer contributions coming from lower- and middle-income donors.</li>
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Giving was down slightly for the top two subsectors, religion and education.</li>
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The only subsectors to see an increase in giving were international aid and environment/animals.</li>
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Giving by foundations <em>and</em> giving to foundations were both up.</li>
</ul><p dir="ltr">To find out how these trends played out locally, we asked some GCN members about their fundraising results over 2018, and whether they’ve made any adjustments in efforts since.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>National trends and local realities</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">In line with <em>Giving USA</em> findings regarding animal organizations nationwide, the <strong>Atlanta Humane Society</strong> (AHS) reports that donation levels are growing. “Both our 2018 and 2019 year-to-date individual fundraising revenue are up versus the previous years, including year-end fundraising,” said Director of Direct Marketing Stacy Guidice.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In other good news, <strong>Communities in Schools of Georgia</strong> (CISGA) is bucking the report’s findings about the education subsector. “We have actually experienced positive growth in our funding and donations in the past year,” said Chief Philanthropy Officer Jomal Vailes. “I believe the uptick in giving is a response to the current political and educational environment, particularly the conversations taking place regarding student support services.” </p>
<p dir="ltr">Vailes also cites a recent expansion of their development staff; a successful <a href="https://www.gagives.org/" target="_blank">GaGives on #GivingTuesday</a> campaign, which raised “slightly more” than the previous year; and an increase in corporate support. “The need for our services has increased, and donors are responding to that,” said Vailes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Speaking for the <strong>International Rescue Committee</strong> (IRC) in Atlanta, Development Manager Kalie Lasiter says that the organization did not enjoy the boost that <em>Giving USA</em> found in giving to the international aid subsector. Instead, they saw a “slight overall decrease in individual giving in 2018, primarily during the year-end giving season,” including fewer gifts from both middle-income and high-net-worth donors. They cite the effects of recent tax reforms and the stock market’s “tumultuous” fourth quarter. However, Lasiter notes that they tend to receive more of their financial support from foundations as opposed to individuals, and “have not felt an increase dependence on foundation funding as of yet.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">As for grantmakers, the Augusta-based <strong>Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area</strong> reported a big increase in 2018 donations, in accordance with <em>Giving USA</em> findings. The Foundation nearly doubled the amount of funds raised, from just over $6 million in 2017 to just over $12 million in 2018, with only a slight increase in the number of donations. “Our Community Foundation has been on a growth pattern for several years,” said President and CEO Shell Berry. “Our increase in capacity and donor relations has contributed to increased participation [by donors].”</p>
<p dir="ltr">At the same time, said Berry, grantmaking totals for the Foundation remained “pretty steady,” with a slight <em>de</em>crease from $8.7 million to just over $8 million (countering the reported trend of increased giving by grantmakers). The Foundation is currently adding grant programs that target specific challenges like poverty and literacy, which is a new approach for the organization. </p>
<p dir="ltr">According to annual reports, donations are also up at the <strong>Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta</strong> (CFGA), from $144 million in 2017 to $162 million in 2018. In addition, grant totals are up at both the CFGA (from $100 million to $128 million) and the <strong>Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia</strong>, which awarded $4.3 million in 2017 and $7.8 million in 2018.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Local trends emerging now</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">In her work with GCN’s <a href="https://www.gcn.org/Nonprofit-Consulting-Group" target="_blank">Nonprofit Consulting Group</a>, GCN Senior Consultant and EVP Kathy Keeley has noted a number of funding trends in Georgia that substantiate, and color, the latest <em>Giving USA</em> findings.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“What we are seeing in our consulting practice is that giving is flat: from foundations, corporations, government, and individuals,” said Keeley. She notes that a number of counties and cities are cutting budgets – Cobb, for instance, just made a $1 million cut that affects 15 nonprofits – and that individual donations have largely been unable to make up for revenue lost from these and other grant sources.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In addition, Keeley said, larger and more-established nonprofits are facing increased competition from new nonprofits, many just startups, that have proven to be nimble fundraisers. Another pressing issue Keeley cited is the shortage of development professionals and a steady increase in turnover, often prompted by high expectations and short deadlines for meeting them.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Fundraising solutions in progress</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">CISGA Chief Philanthropy Officer Vailes says that the organization relies on a variety of funding sources, so it hasn’t been affected by swings in any one revenue category. Still, they have been making some strategic changes to their fundraising approach. “One includes a focus on board expansion, and another involves looking at school districts as prospective investors in the services we provide in their schools,” said Vailes. “We have also implemented a targeted legislative effort to increase funding for much-needed growth and expansion in schools, specifically across rural Georgia.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">At the AHS, said Director of Direct Marketing Guidice, they continue to see donors migrating online. Their integrated promotions, via mail, email, social media, digital ads, and traditional paid and non-paid media, are currently driving “significant increases in online donations.” Meanwhile, the IRC in Atlanta is responding to the slowdown in individual giving by ramping up their major giving programs, reported Development Manager Lasiter.</p>
<p dir="ltr">At GCN, fundraising remains a top area for consulting work, <a href="https://www.gcn.org/nonprofit-university/Calendar" target="_blank">Nonprofit University</a> offerings, and member events (including the introduction of a new online platform and other campaign support for <a href="https://www.gagives.org/" target="_blank">GAgives on #GivingTuesday</a>). Senior Consultant Christal Cherry designed a new <a href="https://www.gcn.org/events/nonprofit-university/Certificate-of-Major-Giving" target="_blank">Certificate of Major Giving</a> course for NU, and the Consulting Group’s Doing Lab series encompasses a <a href="https://www.gcn.org/events/DOING-LAB-Write-the-Annual-Development-Plan" target="_blank">“Write the Development Plan”</a> Lab that provides leadership teams with the expert guidance, as well as the time and space, needed to complete a comprehensive fundraising roadmap for the coming year.</p>
<p class="about" dir="ltr">Marc Schultz is communications editor at GCN.</p>
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</div></div></div>Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:53:51 +0000mschultz7181 at https://www.gcn.orghttps://www.gcn.org/articles/A-local-look-at-Giving-USA#comments